An estimated 11-million children younger than 18 were living in poverty last year, according to a study by the Children’s Institute of the University of Cape Town. The study said that poverty, child abuse and violence and HIV/Aids were the major challenges facing children in South Africa.
The university said in a statement released on Monday, the beginning of Child Protection Week, that poverty, child abuse and violence and HIV/Aids were the major challenges facing children in South Africa.
”A rapid assessment on the situation of children in South Africa recently completed by the Children’s Institute has indicated that key stakeholders in the children’s rights sector view poverty and HIV/Aids as part of the underlying and exacerbating causes of violations of children rights,” the statement read.
”To protect children, we therefore need comprehensive programmes that adequately support children and families living in poverty and those affected by or infected with HIV/Aids.”
In the study poverty was measured in different ways. When using an absolute poverty measure of R490 household income per month, the study found that 75% of children under the age of 17 lived in poverty — an estimated 14,3-million or three out of every four children in South Africa.
If a monthly minimum income of R245 per household was used, 57% of children younger than 17 lived in dire poverty — an estimated 11-million.
”Whether analysing child poverty using an absolute or relative measure, it is evident that between 57% and 75% of children in South Africa are living in poverty of varying degrees.”
Of the children living in poverty, 23% were in KwaZulu-Natal and 21% in the Eastern Cape. Seventeen percent of Limpopo children lived in poverty while in Gauteng the figure was 10%. The Northern Cape had the fewest number of children living in poverty with only two percent.
Children younger than eight who were living in poverty had the right to assistance through social grants. In October last year only 42% were, however, benefiting from Child Support Grant (CSG).
”While the government has implemented different poverty alleviating mechanisms and this year announced a roll-out extension of the CSG to children up to 14 years over a three-year period, these efforts still fall short of meeting children’s basic needs and promoting their socio-economic rights.”
Confusion over the extension of the Child Care Grant saw many parents and other care-givers being turned away from registration points. A lack of staff, offices and other resources also made it difficult for the social welfare department to register children aged seven and eight for grants, despite a clear stipulation that they qualified for the extensions.
”There is an urgent need to re-examine the Government’s poverty alleviating interventions.
”Most importantly, South Africa does not have a comprehensive and integrated national poverty strategy and interventions therefore appear to be uncoordinated and fragmented.” – Sapa